The Light of the Village is a front-line, hands-on Christian Ministry designed to share the love of Christ to individuals impacted by crime and poverty in the Alabama Village and surrounding neighborhoods.

His Purpose for Me

It’s January of 2015. I have just started a journey that will change my life, but I am oblivious. I go in the main LOV building for the first time, and I feel a wave of energy hit me like I’ve never felt before. Kids are running, yelling, laughing, and playing, yet I can’t think of a time when I ever felt more comfortable and peaceful. It’s exhilarating. By the end of that day I knew I would be coming back again Thursday. And by the end of Thursday, I knew I would be there all semester. In that semester, I not only met some amazing kids and staff but, most importantly, I met God. He made His light visible to me at LOV, and I finally accepted Him into my heart.

Fast forward to April, and I am completely in love with LOV. I put in my application for a summer internship, again oblivious to the impact it would have. In fact, I wasn’t even sure I would be hired considering I had just come to know Christ myself. But the Lord works in mysterious ways. I was hired and I was trained. I was given a group and an amazing partner. I got my t-shirts, and I planned my games. And on June 9th camp started. Boy was I unprepared! Not that we didn’t get great training, but nothing could really prepare me for the numbers, energy, and ATTITUDES of the children. Working with a team of amazing, Christ-loving people made it easier, and the smiles and laughter of the kids made every struggle worth it.

About half way through camp I came to a very intense realization. I finally understood the feeling that I got every time I came to work. It was belonging. I belonged there. This was my purpose. Romans 8:28 says that “all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” That verse strikes home for me. Since I came to LOV my life has come together. I love God, and I now understand my purpose. There is nothing more I could possibly ask for. I can’t wait for this next year to see what it holds, and I can’t wait for next summer when, God willing, I will return home to LOV.